Overview
- The band launched the Forever Tour with a sold-out, nine-show residency at Madison Square Garden, opening night on July 7 with a 21-song set that began with a cover of The Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends.”
- Reviewers and attendees reported that Jon Bon Jovi’s voice, rebuilt after 2022 vocal-cord surgery and long rehab, sounded largely restored as he moved through a mix of classics and newer songs.
- The setlist leaned on both legacy anthems such as “Livin’ on a Prayer” and “It’s My Life” and recent material from 2020 and the 2024 album Forever, including “Legendary” and “Living Proof.”
- The MSG run features unique, no-repeat setlists across the nine nights and is the band’s only U.S. engagement this year before the tour continues to Scotland, Ireland and multiple nights at London’s Wembley Stadium in August and September.
- Beyond the music the comeback matters to fans and the band: Jon Bon Jovi publicly thanked the crowd for their support, and the successful opening offers a practical test that could shape how the rest of the international tour is staged and promoted.